The present invention relates to an IC card read/write apparatus for an IC card equipped with an integrated circuit. In particular, the present invention relates to an IC card read/write apparatus for reading information from the integrated circuit of the IC card and writing information into the same.
FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate a conventional IC card read/write device. The read/write device generally indicated by reference numeral 1 includes a rectangular peripheral frame portion 3. The frame portion 3 includes a pair of spaced apart top and bottom plates, 7 and 9, which define a thinned card chamber 11 between them for receiving an IC card 13. The peripheral frame portion 3 is formed in its forward wall 15 with a card inlet 17 which is connected with the card chamber 11 so that the IC card 13 can be inserted through the card inlet 17 into the card chamber 11 in a direction indicated at 19.
A slider 21, which is supported by the top plate 7 to move back and forth in the direction 19, is connected with a spring 23 mounted on the top plate 7 and thereby biased toward the card inlet 17. Also, the slider 21 is formed at one end thereof away from the card inlet 17 with a portion 25 projected into the card chamber 11 so that, when a leading edge of the card 13 has reached the vicinity of a rearward end of the card chamber 11, the leading edge makes an engagement with the projected portion 25. Further, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the slider 21 has a cutout 27.
The top plate 7 carries a holder 29 which supports electric cables 31 on its upper surface and electric contacts 33 on its lower surface, with each of the electric contacts 33 being connected with an associated cable 31. The holder 29, which is rotatably supported by a shaft 35 extending in a direction perpendicular to the insert direction 19, has an actuator 37 projected in the cutout 27 of the slider 21. The actuator 37 is formed at its edge facing the inlet 17 with a ramp 39 which extends upward toward the rearward end of the device 1 and opposes an edge 41 of the cutout 27 so that, when the slider 21 moves rearward by the engagement with the leading edge of the card 13, the edge 41 would engage with the ramp 39 to rotate the actuator 37 and the holder 29 toward the bottom plate 9 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
In addition, as best shown in FIG. 6, in the vicinity of the rearward end of the card chamber 11, the top plate 7 is formed in its bottom surface with ramps 43 each protruded in the card chamber 11. To cooperate with the ramps 43 to nip the leading end of the card 13 which has been inserted up to the rearward end of the chamber 11 and thereby hold the inserted card 13 in position, leaf springs 45 are provided under the card chamber 11 with their rearward ends positioned in the card chamber 11.
With the arrangement so constructed, as shown in FIG. 3, the card 13 is inserted through the card inlet 17 into the card chamber 11. When the card 13 is inserted to a predetermined position, its leading edge comes into contact with the projected portion 25 of the slider 21. From this state, the card 13 is further forced into the card chamber 11 against a resistance applied from the spring 23, which moves the slider 21 toward the rearward end of the chamber 11. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this causes the edge 41 of the cutout 27 to make a frictional contact with the ramp 39 to rotate the holder 29 toward the bottom plate 9 so that each of the electric contacts 33 makes an electric contact with an associated contact 47 provided in an upper surface of the card 13.
Finally, when the card 13 is inserted to its reading/writing position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, it is nipped at its leading end between the ramps 43 of the top plate 7 and the leaf springs 45. This allows the card 13 to be retained in the card chamber 11 even after it is released from the insertion force. Also, the electric contacts 33 projected into the card chamber 11 make contact with associated contacts 47 of the card 13. This allows the integrated circuit mounted in the card 13 to communicate through the cables 31 with a controller (not shown) for reading information from the card 13 and writing information into the card 13.
After the completion of the required communication, the card 13 is held at its forward end and then pulled from the card chamber 11, causing the slider 21 to return to its original position under the force of the spring 23. This also causes the actuator 37 to disengage from the edge 41 of the cutout 27 and then rotate the holder 29 upward, so that the electric contacts 33 move away from the contacts 47 of the card 13.
The conventional card read/write device 1, however, has several drawbacks. For example, because the leaf springs 45 are typically made from a metal plate having a thickness of from 0.2 to 0.3 mm and also bent as shown in FIG. 5 at its intermediate portion, the position of the rearward end varies in the card chamber 11, which in turn destabilizes the force for nipping and holding the card 13.
In addition, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 7815 allows a dimensional error of 0.76xc2x10.08 mm in the thickness of the IC card, which accelerates the instability of the inserted card 13 to result in an undesired translation of the card even from small vibrations. This may result in a communication error between the contacts of IC card 13 and the device 1. Contrary to this, an excessive force applied from the leaf springs 45 may cause the card to be scratched and then damaged by the contact with the metal leaf springs 45.
Also, an insertion of foreign members such as a coin, rather than the regular IC card, will result in a malfunction of device.
FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate a protection cover generally indicated by reference numeral 51, which is attached in front of the IC card read/write device 1 described above. The protection cover 51 includes a housing generally indicated by reference numeral 53. The housing 53 has a card slot 55 through which the IC card 13 is inserted in the device 1. When the IC card 13 is not inserted in the device, the slot 55 is covered at its outlet by a shutter 57 rotatably supported by shafts 59.
For the protection cover 51, the card 13 is inserted in the slot 55 from its leading edge by the user of the card 13. When the leading edge of the card 13 makes contact with the shutter 57, the shutter 57 is forced to rotate about the shafts 59 away from an outlet of the slot 55, which allows the card 13 to advance into the card chamber.
The shutter 57; however, allows to enter into the device 1 foreign members that do not meet the ISO 7815, such as thinned telephone cards having a thickness of only 0.2 mm, other specialized small-sized cards, rods having a diameter smaller than the slot, and other small pieces. An insertion of such foreign members will damage the device 1 and, if retained therein, only in part, will prevent the regular card from being inserted or used.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of positively holding an inserted card in position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of preventing the IC card from being damaged.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of removing irregular members such as a coin from a card chamber, which would otherwise result in a malfunction of the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a protection cover, which allows only the normal IC card that meets the ISO 7815 to be inserted in an IC card read/write device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of preventing the foreign members, rather than the normal IC card that meets the ISO 7815, from being inserted into the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card read/write device capable of removing the foreign members inserted in the device.
Therefore, an IC card read/write apparatus of the present invention includes a frame having first and second parallel guides spaced apart from each other. The first and second guides define an extended and thinned card chamber for receiving an IC card, a card inlet connected at one end of the card chamber through which an IC card is inserted into the card chamber, and an end path or terminal portion provided at the opposite end of the card chamber and angled relative to the card chamber so that an insert end of the inserted IC card is forced in the path and then held in the end path or terminal portion.
In another aspect of the present invention, the end path or terminal portion is formed by a ramp extended from the opposite end of the first guide and projected toward the second guide and a recess extended from the opposite end of the second guide and recessed against the first guide.
In another aspect of the present invention, the ramp is angled at about 30 to 45 degrees relative to the first guide.
In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a plurality of the end paths or terminal portions.
Also, an IC card read/write apparatus includes a frame having upper and lower parallel plates spaced apart from each other to define an extended and thinned card chamber for receiving an IC card. The lower plate has an opening so that a foreign member inserted into the card chamber will fall out of the card chamber through the opening.
In another aspect of the present invention, an edge defining the opening is slanted downward.
Further, a protection mechanism for use with an IC card read/write apparatus includes a housing which defines a slot having an inlet and an outlet. Through the inlet and outlet an IC card is inserted into the IC card read/write apparatus. The protection mechanism also includes a first arm which moves between a first position in which the first arm is positioned in the slot and a second position in which the first arm is positioned away from the slot, wherein the first arm moves from the first position to the second position by the contact with the IC card inserted into the slot. Also included is a shutter which moves between a first position at which the shutter closes the outlet of the slot and a second position at which the shutter moves away from the outlet of the slot. Further included is a second arm, connected with the first arm so that, when the first arm moves from its first position to its second position, the second arm moves the shutter from its first position to its second position to open the outlet of the slot and, when the first arm moves from its second position to its first position, the second arm moves the shutter from its second position to its first position to close the outlet of the slot.
In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a tongue bent or curved away from the outlet of the slot. The tongue is supported by the shutter so that, when the shutter moves to the first position, the tongues are positioned adjacent to the outlet of the slot. On the other hand, when the shutter moves to the second position, the tongues make frictional contact with one surface of the IC card to move away from the outlet.